Ribbon mechanism for type-writers.



T. L. KNAPP.

RIBBON MECHANISM FOR TYPE WRITERS.

APPLIOATION FILED DEG.22,1913.

9 I? Patented N'v; 3,. 191%- i Y Z (Z M fiiiwam m ijgwfm UNITED STATESPATENT OFFICE.

THERON L. KNAPP, OF WOODSTOCK, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR TO THE OLIYERTYPEWBITEB COMPANY, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, A CORPORATION OF ILLINOIS. 4

RIBBON MECHANISM FOR TYPE-WRITERS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Nov. 3, 1914.

Application filed December 22. 1913. Serial N 0. 808,139.

and State of Illinois, have invented certain' new and usefulImprovements in Ribbon Mechanisms for Type-\Vriters; and I do hereby.declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact descriptionthereof, reference being bad to the accompanying draw ings, and to theletters of reference marked thereon, which form a part of thisspecification. I

This invention relates to ribbon mecha nisms for typewriting machines.One of the principal objects of the invention is to provide an inkingribbon spool which is of simple andinexpensive construction and adaptedto be attached to an inking ribbon, and to enable connected ribbons andspools ready for use to be handled or transported in commercialquantities, and removably mounted and removed or renewed with greatfacility, and used without peripheral flanges, in connection with otherelements or parts of the ribbon mechanism of typewriters.

Otherand further objects of the invention will appear from anexamination of the following description and claims and from aninspection of the accompanying drawings, which are made a part hereof. Ia

The invention consists in the features, combinations of elements,details of construction, and arrangement of parts herein described andclaimed.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a view in elevation of aribbon mechanism constructed in accordance with my invention andimprovements, showing my improved inking-ribbon spool operativelyconnected with an upright spindle or shaft of a type-writing machine,and inclosed within a stationary casing or container having a slot inits peripheral wall for permitting an inking-ribbon to passtherethrongh; Fig. 2, a horizontal sectional view,

aken online 2 of Fig. 1, looking in the direction of the arrow, andshowing the relative positions of the angular peripheral portions of thespool and hub or spool support and the spring finger for securing theribbon to the ribbon spool; Fig. 3, a detail View in central verticalsection, showing the hub or spool-supporting member and themanner ofsecuring the same to the shaft or spmdle; Fig. 4, a top view of a blankcut or stamped from-sheet metal and adapted to form the outer member ofmy improved ribbon spool; Fig. 5, a similar view of a blank cut orstamped from sheet metal and adapted to form the inner member or springfinger for securing the ribbon to the spool; F 6, a detail view incentralvertical section of my improved ribbon spool,

showing the inner and outer members,

formed from the blanks shown in Figs. 4 and 5, assembled; Fig. 7, ahorizontal sectio-nal view in detail of the parts shown in Fig. 6; Fig.8, a detail view in side elevati on of the inner member of the ribbonspool which is formed from a blank such as that shown in Fig. 5; andFig. 9, a bottom view of the inner spool member shown in Fig; 8. 1 Inmaking a ribbon mechanism for typewriters in accordance with myinvention and improvements, I provide an outer or main spool member awhich, in the most desirable form of my invention, is formed of sheetmetal. To make a spool such that shown in the drawings, a blank a is cutor stamped from sheet metal, (see Fig. 4.), so as to form a central diskshaped web or head portion 6 which may have a central aperture 0therethrough. The piece of sheet metal a has radially extending orprojecting arms or strips d, cl, 0 and e, the radially projectingportions or strips 6, 6, being" provided with apertures f. This blank isbent into the form shown in Figs. 6 and 7, so that each of the radialstrips, ribs or arms d, d, e and 6 extends at right angles to and isconnected at one end with the peripheral rim of the integral centraltransverse body portion, web or head Z) and in parallel relation to theaxial center or axis of rotation of the spool, so as to form segmentalperipheral portions of the spool upon which an inking-ribbon is to bewound.

A somewhat similarly shaped blank 9 is .cut or stamped from elastic orresilient sheet metal, so as to form a central disk-like body Or webportion 7L having a central aperture 2' therethrough and havingintegral. laterally projecting strips, tongues or fingers 70, Z, m, m.(See Fig. 5.) This blank is stamped or bent into the form shown in Figs.8 and 9 and fitted into the outer spool member shown in Figs. 4 and 6,in such a manner that the fingersm, mextend into the apertures f in theperforated arms or strips 6, e, the arm or strip Z being in suchposition that its outer surface fits snugly against the inner surface ofthe corresponding or adjacent arm, strip or finger d of the outer spoolmember so as to coact with the other armsto hold the inner member of thespool in position in the outer spool member. '1 he spring arm or fingerk is bent into posltion to extend on the inside of the ad acent strip ormember d of the outer spool member located opposite the strip or arm Z,so as to admit the end of an inking-ribbon j between the spring finger kand the part at and exert a yielding'outward pressure against theIlbbon, which is thus removably held between said partsk and d. Thestrips or peripheral portions d, cl. 6, 6 thus not only form. theperipheral portion of a spool upon which a ribbon is to be wound, butasalready suggestedthey also form shoulder portions which are in angularrelation to each other and a plurality of which are adaptedto fit overthe inner spool member, as indlcated in Fig. 6, and with the parts is,Z, m, m interposed between the outer spool member a and the spoolsupport or hub .3. The angular ribs or peripheral portions of the spoolengage corresponding peripheral angular shoulders 2 of the hub orthimble 3. This hub has a disk-shaped centrally perforated head or endweb portion 4 fixed to'the end of a s indle or ribbon driving shaft orspindle 5 y means of a rivet or endwise projecting portion 6 of thespindle, which extends into the central perforation in the hub, or othersuitable securing means. (See Fig. 3.) The hub 3 may be made byproviding a blank somewhat similar to that shown in Fig. 4, and bendingthe radial strips or arms 2 so as to form a thimble or hub having at oneend a centrally perforated web or head portion 4, already describedtheother end of the hub being open, and adapted to encircle the spindle orspool-supporting shaft 5. (See Fig. 3.) The periph eral strips. ribs orsegmental angular portions 2 of the hub form angular peripheralshoulders adapted to be engaged by a plurality of the similarly disposedperipheral portions of the spool, thus enabling the spool to be readilyplaced in operative position upon and held against rotation with respectto the hub. The spool is thus adapted to be removed and replaced orrenewed, together with an attached ribbon, with facility and withoutdisconnecting the ribbon from its accompanying attached spool. A ribbonmay also be detached from a desired spool or spools, or a spool orspools'may be used with ribbons which are to be renewed without renewingor changing the spool 01 spools.

A nonrotatablc casing or ribbon container 7 having a preferably circularperipheral wall 9. bottom 9, and removable top or cover 10, is securedin fixed relation to a typewriting machine.

stationary or fixed frame portion 11 of a typewriting machine, which maybe of any desired, ordinary, or well known form, by means of screws 12,or other suitable securing means. (See Fig. 1.) The bottom of thecontainer or casing is provided with an axial opening 13 through whichextends the spindle or ribbon driving shaft 5 which may be of anydesired, ordinary, or well known form, and to which the hub orspoolsupporting member 3 is secured, as already suggested. The hub orspool-supporting member and the removable spool supported thereby arerotatably mounted on the inside of the non-rotatable casing or ribboncontainer and at the center of the latter, and between the stationarytop wall 10 and the stationary bottom wall of the container, in suchposition that these stationary parallel top and bottom walls or plates 9and 10 serve to hold or guide the ribbon wound upon or unwound from thespool in such a manner as to enable lateral or peripheral flanges, suchas are commonly required upon inkingrlbbon spools, to be dispensed with.The amount of material required in making the spool and the cost ofconstruction of the same is thus reduced to a minimum. The peripheralwall 8 of the container or stationary casing is provided with a verticalslot 14 through which the ribbon extends when in operation or inoperative position upon a The peripheral rim 15 of the cover 10 andwhich encircles the peripheral wall 8 of the casing or container, issufiiciently narrow so that the portion of the slot 14 not covered bythe rim is of the required length or dimensions to permit the freemovement .of the ribbon through the slot, the margins of which form aguide for the ribbon adapted to prevent it from becoming twisted ordisplaced during the operation of being wound upon-or unwound from thespool on the inside of the container.

The spind eff) is mounted in suitable bearings 16, 17-; nd 18 in themain frame of a typewriter and is provided with suitable drivingmechanism which may comprise a worm wheel 19 fixed to the shaft orspindle and a worm 20 in toothed engagement with such worm wheel andoperatively connected with a suitable source of power or drivingmechanism. The driving mechanism for the 1. In a ribbon mechanism of theclass described, the combination of an inking ribbon spool havingribbon-engaging peripheral portions and provided with inner shouldersadapted to removably engage a shouldered spool-supporting member, meansforming a 2. In a ribbon mechanism of the class de-- scribed, thecombination of an inking ribbon spool having ribbon-engaging peripheralportions and provided with inner shoulders adapted-to removably engage ashouldered spool-supporting member, means forming a connection betweenmarginal peripheral portions of the spool atone end thereof, theopposite end of the spool being open, and a 5 flexible clamping memberupon the spool for securing a ribbon thereto.

3. An inking ribbon spool for typewriters, comprising a head providedwith a plurality of integral, parallel arms forming theribbon-supporting portion of the spool, and

also formin sitethe head, an opening adapted to receive aspool-supporting hub, and means for removably connecting a ribbon withthe spool. 4. An inking ribbon spool for typewriters, comprising a headprovided with a plurality of integral, parallel arms which form theribbon-supporting portion of the spool, and which also form, at the endof the spool opposite the head, an opening adapted to receive aspool-supporting hub, and a clamping member upon the spool for removablysecuring a ribbon to the spool.

5. An inking ribbon spool for typewriters,

comprisinga head provided with a plurality of integral, parallel armswhich form the ribbon-supporting portion of the spool-and also form, atthe end of the spool op osite the head, an opening to receive a spoo-supporting hub, and a clamping arm attached to the spool adjacent tothe head and extending along the inner face of one of said arms.

6. An inking ribbon spool for typewriters, 45, comprising a headprovided with a plurality of integral, parallel arms which form theribbon-supporting portion of the spool and also form, at the end of thespool opposite the head, an opening to receive a spool-supporting hub,and a plate secured against the inner face of the head and provided witha spring tongue which extends along the inner face of one of said arms,to form a ribbonclamping member.

7. An inking ribbon spool for typewriters, comprising a head providedwith a plurality of integral, parallel arms which form theribon-supporting portion of the spool and also form, at the end of thespool opposite the head. an opening to receive a spool-sup porting hub,and a plate located in contact with the inner face of the head andprovided with a plurality of integral tongues, two of said tongueshaving interlocking engage- 63 meat with the spool for holding the platein at the end of the spool oppo- ,wall thereofadapted to place, and oneof said tongues extending along the inner face of one of said arms andforming therewith a ribbon clamp.

8. In a ribbon mechanism of the class described, the combination ofarotatably' mounted inking-ribbon spool having ribbonengaging peripheralportions and provided with inner shoulders adapted to removably engage ashouldered spool-supportin hub, means forming a connection between theperipheral portions of the spoolat one-end thereof, the opposite end ofthe spool being provided with an opening for receiving thespool-supporting hub, means for securing a ribbon to the spool, andnon-rotatable plates arranged in parallel relation and extendinglaterally beyond the periphery of the rotary ribbon spool and formingstationary ribbon guides between which the ribbon spool is located.

9. In a ribbon mechanism of the class described, the combination of aninking-ribbon spool rotatably mounted and comprising in its constructionan end wall provided with angular ribbon-engaging peripheral portionsforming inner shoulders adapted to removably engage a shoulderedspool-supporting hub, a spring finger upon the spool 'for securing aribbon thereto, and a non-rotatable casing in which the spool islocated, said casing having stationary top and bottom walls extendinglaterally beyond the rotary spool member and adapted to guide a ribbonduring the operation of winding or unwinding the same, said stationarycasing having a peripheral slot in the peripheral permit the passage ofa ribbon therethrough.

10. In a ribbon mechanism of the class described, the combination of aninking-ribbon spool having ribbon-supporting segmental peripheralportions and provided with inner shoulders adapted to removably engage ashouldered spool-supporting hub, means forming a connection between themarginal segmental peripheral portions of the spool at one end thereof,the opposite end of the spool being provided with a opening foradmitting a spool-supporting hub, and a spring member on the spooladapted to admit and yieldingly hold a ribbon between the spring memberand an adjacent peripheral portion of the spool.

. 11. In a ribbon mechanism of the class described, the combination ofan inking-ribbon spool having a series of ribbon-engaging segmentalperipheral portions spaced apart and-provided with inner shoulders inangular relation to each other and extending in parallel relation to theaxis of the spool, means forming a connection between the segmentalperipheral portions of the spool at one end thereof, the opposite end ofthe spool being open, means for securing a ribbon to the spool, a hubhaving peripheral shoulders adapted to removably engage the shoulders ofthe spool, and stationary parallel ribbon-guiding plates between whichthe spool and hub are located, adapted to prevent the displacement ofthe spool.

12. In a ribbon mechanism of the class described, the combination of anouter ribbon spool member having ribbon-engaging peripheral portionsand, provided with inner shoulders adapted to removably engage ashouldered spool-supporting hub, means forming a connection betweenopposite marginal peripheral portions of the spool at one end thereof,the opposite end of the spool being provided with an opening foradmitting the hub, and a disk-shaped inner spool member having flexiblesecuring tongues in engagement with the outer spool member and having aflexible tongue adapted to yieldingly engage a ribbon, for securing thelatter to the spool.

13. In a ribbon mechanism of the class described, the combination of anouter ribbon spool member having ribbon-engaging peripheral portions andprovided with inner shoulders adapted to removably engage a shoulderedspool-supporting hub, means forming a connection between oppositemarginal peripheral portions of the spool at one end thereof, theopposite end of the spool being provided with an opening for admittingthe hub, a disk-shaped inner spool member having flexible securingtongues in engagement with the outer spool member and having a flexibletongue adapted to yieldingly engage a ribbon, for securing the latter tothe spool, and non-rotatable plates arranged in parallel relation andextending laterally beyond the periphery of the rotary ribbon spool andforming stationary ribbon guides between which the/ribbon spool is 10- Ieated.

14. An inking-ribbon spool for typewriters comprising in itsconstruction an outer spool member having a head provided with integralperipheral arms rent to form an annular series of angular shouldersadapted to be removably mounted upon an angular hub, said arms havingouter surface portions adapted to support a ribbon to be wound thereon.at least one of said arms having a recess therein, an inner spool memberhaving flexible fingers in engagement with the arms of the outer spoolmember, at least one of said flexible fingers being mounted in positionto extend into said recess in the arm of the outer spool member. and aspring finger upon said inner spool member adapted to admit a ribbonbetween such finger and an adjacent shoulder portion of the outer spoolmember.

15. A ribbon mechanism for typewriting machines, comprising an operatingshaft,

and a spool-supporting hub, consisting of a plate secured centrally tothe shaft and provided with a plurality of integral, spoolengaging armsextending from the margin of the plate parallel with said shaft.

16. A ribbon mechanism for typewriting machines, comprising an operatingshaft, a spool-supporting hub, consisting of a plate secured centrallyto the shaft and provided with a plurality of spool-engaging armsextending from the margin of the plate parallel with the shaft, saidarms having flat, outwardly facing contact surfaces.

17. A ribbon mechanism for typewriting machines, comprising an operatingshaft, a spool-supporting hub, consisting of a plate secured centrallyto the shaft and provided with a plurality of spool-engaging armsextending from the margin of the plate parallel with the shaft, and aspool consisting of a head provided with a plurality of arms which formthe ribbon-engaging portion of the spool and also form an opening in thespool to receive said hub.

18. A ribbon mechanism for typewriting machines, comprising an operatingshaft, a spool-supporting hub, consisting of a plate secured centrallyto the shaft and provided with a plurality of integral arms extendingfrom the margin of the plate parallel with the shaft, said arms havingflat, outwardly facing surfaces, and a spool comprising a head providedwith integral. parallel arms corresponding in number with the arms ofthe hub, said arms of the spool having flat,

inwardly facing surfaces and forming an opening to receive said hub.

19. In a ribbon mechanism of the class described, the combination of aninking-ribbon spool adapted to encircle a hub, means for securing aribbon to the spool. a hub comprising a head located in a plane at rightangles to the axis of the hub and having spool-engaging arms extendingat an angle to the head of the hub and adapted toremovably hold a spoolin non-rotatable relation to the hub, and stationary plates extendinglaterally beyond the periphery of the hub and spool, one of said platesbeing adapted to engage and prevent displacement of the spool withrespect to the hub.

In testimony, that I. claim the foregoing as my invention I afiix mysignature in the presence of two witnesses, this 19th day of December,A. D. 1913.

T HERON L. KNAPP.

llitncsses:

Etrcnrn C. \VANN, CLAYTON HARTING.

